War and Beyond
by mashes
Summary: this was a failure of a first attempt at a story. i don't really want to let it go, but i guess i should. if there is anyone to ever read this, and ends up liking it, or they believe it has some unforeseen potential, please let me know and i'll do an honest attempt at giving this flop a new life. thank you.
1. It's Over

As he fell, things started to become quitter; the screams of broken bodies from Shinigami and Hollows alike and the smell of death dancing in the air. This nightmare of war has finally come to an end and the traitor Aizen dead bellow.

"Ichigo kurosaki, I wonder if they will call me a hero, heh, which sounds like a funny thing to be thinking about."

I felt myself falling, who knew how many meters high we fought, but I do not care. Pavement, stone, or water; any of those is going to hurt from that sudden stop at the end, but I do not care.

**Zangetsu:** It's time to rest, Partner.

With the little motor function that I had left, I gave a slight nod then everything faded away to darkness.

…

As if a bolt of lightning shot through him, he felt it. "Ban…" Shunsui almost uttered. Aizen is down. "Guess that means our little scuffle is over."

"Scuffle?" exclaimed Stark. Stark looks down Lilynette in her release state at this flamboyant captain and fires a blast from his gun-like zanpakuto.

With a sigh Kyoraku sidesteps the projectile and raises an eyebrow at his opponent.

"Hmph, how can you just step away from that shot when I finally pushed you to the point of calling upon your bankai?"

"Yada-ara", Shunsui replied in between gulps of sake.

Stark wasn't the kind of person to lose his cool, but now he was utterly confused. "When in the hell did you sheath your weapons, and more so, HOW in the hell did you manage to hide that drink on yourself?"

"Lettuce not worry over the little details." The captain replied, "Lettuce go collect our fallen."

"Lettuce? Hardly." Stark did not know what the man in front of him was talking about. He was a little tired and he knew he was going to be lonely again with so many of his friends, a fleeting entertainment, gone. I have to kill him to fulfill Aizen-sama's wish.

"Kill a few Shinigami and I can promise that you'll never be alone, always by my side.

And then he noticed it. With quite an audible sigh, as if comfort was laced with it, Stark says, "Heh, I get it now. With him out of the picture, my only obligation is to the young ones.

As Stark narrows his eyes he states, "Not all of us wanted this war. Some of us were indentured and sitting aside was not a luxury we would attempt with that man. The joy I felt when he created others that could stand to be in my presence, you have no idea how happy I became, and that act alone, I guess I became a little lost. Also," as he finish with a smirk, "When you know you're strong, it's natural to want to understand how far you can go."

Tipping his hat, Shunsui managed to recollect, looks down to his half full jar of sake, **always an optimistic person**, and throws it to Stark. "Maybe one day outside of this confusion we could be friends." Before he can hear Starks reply, he shunpos away.

So many things on this day have confused him. He found himself at a loss for words, not that it really mattered though.

He gingerly pulled the container of rice wine to his lips. "In all the years I've been around, I never bothered to try the stuff, heh, but then again, hollows aren't known to brew alcohol." With a little trickling down his chin, he did not realize the smile that took hold of his face.

…

As Baraggan began to disperse into nothingness from receiving the full effect of Jakuhou Raikouben, he let loose his necrotic poison at Soi Fon. Both being at the cusp of death from their intense battle, he thought he might as well take this bitch with him.

Omaeda Marechiyo knew he was not strong and that he done little more than nothing against the Second Espada; but he noticed a moment he could make up for that. Despite preferring the easy road when it came to work, or anything for that matter, he was still a proud Shinigami and he had one final job to do. He wasn't about to let captain Soi Fon fall, no, that quite wasn't right, he wasn't going to let some god damned hollow kill the cold hearted hornet queen; that was his leader, his mentor, his friend, unbeknownst to her, the love of his life.

With every ounce of his being, he launched himself forward. The concept of failure was not fathomable. And then he felt it, he had succeeded. He started to fall and he knew this was the end.

He landed, or so he thought and the pavement bellow was pretty soft, and it seemed to be moving? It was within those minor discrepancies that he willed his eyes open, and saw her tears.

"Idiot", he heard Soi Fon say, but he didn't care. With a half choked chuckle and a little smile Omaeda replied, "Glad I was important enough to make you cry."

As Soi Fon touched down, she finally whispered a "Thank you", but her lieutenant was already gone. It all then began to hit her and she allowed herself a moment out of character. She let loose tears and she cried her eyes out. No one would blame her and from that day on, Omaeda was no longer known as just a blithering fool. He earned a heroes treasure saving his precious captains life.

...

"Damn it all to hell and back." Lost in her misery, she had been bested by that white haired kid captain, their master who promised salvation had cut her down, and to top it all off, her beloved fraccion, Apacci, Sung-Sun, and Mila Rose were incinerated by that fire demon of a Shinigami they called their leader. Heart broken, confused, and bleeding, she had no words. But the tears that flowed from her face told volumes of the pain and betrayal.

"Damn it all." She said again as a whisper.

As her eyes were falling closed, she felt a hard as iron and gentle as a breeze hands pick her up. Barely enough strength to open her eyes, she caught a glimpse of green as she finally succumbed to her pain and exhaustion.

Nel felt Tia go limp in her arms and she smiled. "Just a little while and you'll be alright. Aizen has fallen and we can go home and we can rest. His foolishness and treacherous domination of us is over. Finally, we're free.

...

A certain blue haired hollow stood atop some random building a mile or so from the battles going on and around Karakura Town. He felt some of his brothers and sisters fall, as well as a Shinigami or two and it made him a little angry. But the one thing that disgusted him with himself was that he felt IT. That bastard Kurosaki reached a new level, surpassing him again and he managed to snuff Aizen and he was still too powerless to join those locked in battle.

"I know what Ulquiorra had hidden. I am going to find it and I will prove that I am not a weak little piece of shit.

Grimmjow turned around to open a garganta to Hueco Mundo and found himself in the presence of a dark skinned towering figure.

"Mind if I come along?" the deep voice asked.

With a mad cackle that could rival Ichigo's Inner Hollow, Grimmjow just replied with a "Sure." With that, the unlikely duo set off for the world of hollows for their quest for power.


	2. Slowly, It Starts

Mashes does not own Bleach.

I'm sorry for such a long update, when you start your first story and it isn't received well, it hurts. Tehe, just kidding

thank you for taking your time to read my story, thank you.

* * *

Captain Commander Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto decided to head back to Soul Society and task the youngsters with cleaning up the mess left in the battlefield of Karakura Town. Back at his office he way sitting in his chair behind his desk and just sat by as his lower seats brought forth an onslaught of paperwork; the war was a logistical nightmare.

Hell Butterfly after Hell Butterfly keeps swarming in from the Great Noble Houses with the monotonous "emergency" of an immediate reestablishment of Central 46.

As this went on, he just sat there sipping his tea. It used to be relaxing when stress got too high; to take a moment to ignore it all while the warm liquid soothed his bones. But even that heat paled in comparison to how searing he could make his reiatsu feel or to the flames of Ryujin Jakka. Maybe it was the act of relaxing that he appreciated more so than actually relaxing.

But something a little weird was happening. The tea he was attempting to enjoy keep on getting bitter and bitter, almost to the point of gaging, and then he noticed that too familiar metallic flavor while he keep feeling weaker.

His mouth was bleeding quite badly as well as his old scars, he wasn't sure how this happened, but knew there was one thing left to do before that old curse known as death caught up to him. Grabbing a sheet of parchment and his trusted and tried battle worthy quill pen, he began to write a letter and that letter was to his best friend.

* * *

Captain Unohana and 7th seat Hanataro (Isane stayed behind because someone after all has to look after the stupidity of 11th division) worked diligently to heal the wounded that Shunsui and Ukitake brought in. They seemed to be pretty lucky with whom was lost in battle, the only one who actually died had been the lieutenant of the second division; as Soi Fon told her story with blood shot eyes and a tear stained face, no one would question the gallantry of his effort.

"In the end, we have a Ichigo Kurosaki to thank for this," Unohana said to no one in particular.

A cry for help ripped through the air as a hysteric Shinji rushed in the makeshift mobile army surgical hospital (AN: tehe) carrying battered and overall severely wounded Hiyori.

"She's hurt, s-someone, please help her, s-she's dying!"

With blood filled coughs and hisses from pain mixed laughter, the blonde haired Vizard spoke to Shinji, "Heh, I'm fine you pussy. Go get Hachigen; you should know what's coming. Hehe, do me one favor, if you could," she spoke in a rare moment of seriousness, "Watch out for the rest of the assholes, and take care of _them."_

"Hiyori…" he said while brushing her hair off of her face.

The blood couldn't hide her blush, she closed her eyes and spoke again, "you better get goin'." He finally remembering to lay her down, Shinji ran out of the tent and opened a senkaimon to Soul Society.

Unohana and Hanataro just looked at one another, that exchange seemed a little confusing and their musing were brought back by faint laughter. Rushing over to begin healing, Hiyori interrupted them, "don't bother, it's too late. My end is but guaranteed and if those fuckers don't get back soon, you'll definitely need to save your energy." Almost as if taunting them with laughter and even more baffling news, these Shinigami were sincerely confused and left with a mutual but simple thought, "What in the hell is that supposed to me!?"

* * *

In Hueco Mundo, at some random cave.

Nel rips what's left of the little remaining clothing Tia has on.

"MmmmMM!?" Tia asks in a sleepy-wounded stupor.

"Shh," Nel coos Tia, "I need to do this." With a water basin previously she previously gathered, along with some rags, she begins washing away the sand and blood that built up on her body from the fighting and the landscape of Hueco Mundo.

"You're really dirty, you know that?" using gentle rubs she traces a particular slash across the stomach.

"Sorr..." Tia manages to get out before a fit of coughing.

"Shh.., just let me finish, hehe, so I can start healing you."

Tia made a scared grunting sound but relaxed after realizing it was Nel again. After a moment or two, she succumbed to a welcomed sleep.

Maybe one hour later.

After a startling dream of swimming in lime sherbet, Tia started to stir from her slumber. Something slippery sliding across her bare body… "Why in the hell am I naked? What's this slimy stuff I feel?" Tia opened her eyes as her ears were met with giggles.

"What the hell, Nel?" She tried to sit up, but a little ball of green tackled her stomach and held her at her shoulders.

"No! Don't move, I still need to h-heal those."

"Those?"

Nel made a motion for Tia's chest and before she could latch on, she was pushed away allowing Tia to push herself up. Finally able to take her surroundings in she begins to nurse her temples with both hands as a new headache sets in.

"Ugh, thanks, Nel. Why are we in a cave, and back in this forsaken place, no less?"

As if on cue, Stark walks in with a bored looking Lilynette. "It's not like we have anywhere else to be," he said answering her question. "Anyway, the younger Hollows are causing a little ruckus since its spread that Aizen is dead."

"You know how unruly children can get without a little discipline." Lilynette inserts.

With a pat on her head, "Indeed, and there are times when those kids can act cute." Finishing with a almost unnoticeable crook in the corner of his mouth.

Lilynette scoffs and walks out of their temporary residence.

"I've heard that, including Grimmjow, we're the last of the Espada. While you were out, Lily and I looked for him, but I'm beginning to think that he's no longer within Hueco Mundo and I don't think he's stupid enough to still be in the Human World right now, or Soul Society for that matter."

"Aww, Mr. Puppy is worried about Mr. Kitty," Nel pipes in.

"Perhaps, but I would hate to see more friends die. So Tia, feel like becoming a Queen?"

"WHAT?!"

"Yay! Queen Halibel," Nel squeals as she once again tackles Tia. "Oops, forgive me, your Highness."

Tia answers with an aggravated groan and that headache she had just became a migraine. That is if Hollows can get migraines.

Stark lets loose a chuckle that grows in mirth to become quite a boisterous laugh. Nel and Tia has never seen such an occurrence and at first did not know how to react. Given all the sorrow that has spread all around the last day or so, they give in and laugh too.

Lilynette walks back in hearing the odd sounds, perhaps a little scared, but those thoughts were squashed immediately upon first sight. She smirked a little too while nuzzling against starks arm.

* * *

It was a somber moment at Urahara's shop. Yoruichi managed to collect Ichigo and bring him back to this quaint little candy dispensary. This young man managed to accomplish something so many others have failed to do. This kid for God's sake managed to take down the man who claimed to be _God. _Yoruichi wanted to cry for this young man, but she didn't, she would have to save those tears for later because right now, something was not right with Ichigo.

It was not for long, she thought to herself; maybe a few seconds, definitely under a minute, but for that short while she carried him, the spiritual pressure seeping from his body and out through his skin had burned her. However minor, that wasn't a good sign. Along her way, she found Orihime and currently she along with Tessai were working to contain his reiatsu while Kisuke was feverishly searching his possessions for a more effective solution, because nothing was working. Internally, Yoruichi whimpered, "this was not fair."

Isshin knew the state his son would be in. The _Final Getsuga Tenshou_ was not the "End All Attack." It was merely a test. The final test for those destined to wield power. It will rip your soul apart and meld with your humanity, and for a fleeting moment, a person could grasp that power. Like the byproduct of atomicfission, quick, powerful, and chaotic. But there was one thing he did not know. What in the hell would happen when the essence of a human, soul reaper, and hollow meld together. Those thoughts didn't matter for the moment, receiving the call from Urahara's Shop. Isshin collected his daughters, Yuzu and Karin, if it was the last time they would be together as a family, they truly deserved to understand the situation completely.

Kisuke wasn't a man to fret, but even he sweated a little. When he submitted to the fact that there was only one thing, well, one realistic thing they could do to save Ichigo; no, he knew he could not do a thing to save him. He needed to place Ichigo in a special dimensional tomb to save themselves. Evidence pointed to a possible detonation and that would be bad. Reluctantly he headed to his secret vaulted that housed his more severe creations.

With one last shunpos, Isshin was finally at the shops door; sitting down his daughters, he didn't bother to knock and walked right on in, beckoning his daughters to follow him on in.

He could feel the turmoil seeping in the air, but knew this had to be done, at least for the sake of his little girls. A stoic, with a hint of nervousness, façade, he glanced to his daughters. Karin and Yuzu feeling the situation quite literally themselves, fell to their knees gasping for air and tears within their eyes. Their brother was squeezing the life out of his little sisters and his inner turmoil making them dance dangerously with insanity.

Isshin stopped, he was not afraid of their situation, grabbing their foreheads and pumping a little reishi in their systems would solve that, walking to his little ones, he summoned some of his power and wiped their brows. With a understanding smile he says, "come along now, let us go see him," and they carried on. There was many things that were going on which the girls did not understand, but they knew from their fathers demeanor, that things were going to be answered.

Yoruichi broke from her stupor and stood bolt up, from the unmistakable entrance of the Kurosaki family.

"Brother..?" Yuzu questioned upon seeing the still form of Ichigo. "**Brother!**", she cried again and began to run towards him.

Glancing from Ichigo to Yoruichi, he could only assumed what happened to her, and had the reflex to grab his daughter with a hard right hand before the second step was taken. "Don't", he said in a deep, serious tone. "He's dangerous, Yuzu."

Karin grabbed a hold of her twin and found a nice corner to occupy to wait out in until it was time to figure out what was happening. But based on what she heard next, that might not happened either.

Making his reappearance holding a plain black box, he uttered a few words that no one really wanted to hear. "It's not good. There is only one option left."

As serious as one can be and finally noticing a exhausted Tessai and Orihime, Isshin said, "I guess Kido wasn't an option."

"I'm sorr…"

Isshin scoffed, "I knew this would happen, them damn Getsus." He finished with a halfhearted chuckle, "I also know what Ichigo is going through. The hollow inside of him allowed him to skip the sacrifice and a new breed of horror is growing inside of him." Taking a chained necklace from his pocket with a silver M, he gave it a gentle rub and said "I'm sorry." Steeling his resolve he nods to Urahara. "I'm going in too," and he then walks over to his daughters and kneels down. "I can't be the one to give you answers right now, I'll leave that to Kisuke and Yoruichi for now. I do however have two requests, and they'll make a little more sense after their explanation of what we truly are."

Yuzu immediately started crying and Karin stroked her sisters hair and simply waited for their father to continue.

"Become strong", he embraced them like a loving father would, "And don't let people forget what it means to be a Kurosaki." He pulled away from them and they gave their vow with subtle nods. He got up and discarded his gigai. "Let us do this, Kisuke."

The rest of the persons to confused with the situation to stop him, the two ex-captains proceeded with the sealing, and it was over before it happened. There were no potions to drink, no long incantations to recite and no spectacular rituals. Urahara dimply opened the container and willed their existences inside. There however was a comical swirling motion like water going down the drain as they were sucked in, even a wet pop as the lid was closed. But nothing flashy, and then there was their absence.

"Better go lock this up, and I better go put some tea on. Got the feeling this is going to be a stressful night," he said as he swatted the air with his fan. I guess it would be if the Goddess of Flash didn't have a comeback for that one, he mused.

When he returned, quite the crowd gathered. Ichigo's friends, Rukia, and even some of the Vizard were there. "Hehe, guess we'll need more than that one pot."

"Get to it, old man." Karin said with an annoyed tone.

"Indeed, what the hell has Kurosaki got himself into this time?" said the bi-speckled Quincy.

"Uryu!" gasped Tatsuki.

"Guys, let him speak," said a timid Orihime.

"AH, where to begin?" asked Urahara as he sipped the unrequestedly served tea from Tessai. "Mmm, some good stuff."

"Damn it, old man. SPILL it," a very angry Yuzu shouted, earning open mouth stares from this strange group of individuals.

In a mock wince of pain, quickly washed away as several glares began burning holes in his very soul, he waved his fan before he snapped it shut, sitting down. "I guess we should start with the creation of the Hogyoku, seeing as it sparked many things."

**INVISIBLE FLASHBACK NO JUTSU **(AN: were all familiar with the story, I would assume.)

He finished up as he explained to the Kurosaki twins what exactly their father and brother were. They had an idea of what was going on with all the strange events and such, but they were thankful for the detail (or lack thereof ;D).

"Don't you need this spiritual pressure thing to fight hollows?"

"Naturally", Urahara casually commented. "You have strong blood coursing through your veins and your father was once a captain and your brother slayed a _god_. I could only imagine with Yoruichi and I by your side, within no time, you two could be frightening."

The young girls were intrigued by the idea, and were more than ready to start now, but a war had just been won this night and it had been long, stressful and everyone needed a moment to rest and recover. Hopefully, nothing would happen for a long while.

"Orihime, Tatsuki, you shall be coming along as well for the training."

"Yes! Ichigo won't have to look after me anymore!" exclaimed a zealous Orihime.

Slamming her fist into her palm, Tatsuki was so pumped up she wanted to beat something up right then and there, but that would have to wait after all. She would make her childhood friend proud of her and she would punch him for the hell of it if he ever came back. "Of course we will", she said to herself, "it's Ichigo after all." With that, she smiled and for once in a while, she felt good.

* * *

He hated to leave a good fight, but there was something more important to do. Grimmjow has a theory, why so few Hollows achieved Segunda Etepa. It was fear, and to him that seemed to make sense. He had been afraid before while being in the presence of a greater level hollow back as a Adjuchas, but that was more like a respect at the potential of what he could become. Exciting while being unnerving, he knew he had to truly experience despair and just hoped that that was the first step. He was prepared, but what about the mortal man that accompanied him? "Heh, I guess we'll find out," he thinks to himself.

With a snicker, "Think you can handle this?"

"I am tired of being weak, Grimmjow, for my friends and for my grandfather, I shall become strong."

Grimmjow didn't really care. He was surprised though that one of Ichigo's friends was willing to follow an Arrancar on a quest to wash away weakness. Admittedly, he wasn't too excited about going to Hell alone, but he was finally able to push aside a little pride to admit that for an Arrancar's release to evolve, something needed to happen on every level to create a true need for that power to be able to take a hold of it.

But little did they know that intra-dimensional travel was a tricky thing, and who knows what will happen when you open a magical gate with the wrong key? Perhaps we'll see out four friends quite soon.

* * *

What is your opinions of crossovers? ive been toying with the idea so let me know.


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